She has decided to forsake her traditional family Christmas at Sandringham for the first time in 33 years.
But, as she and Prince Philip remain at Windsor over the festive period, the Queen will no doubt have been alarmed to learn about the disquieting death of an owl killed in a trap on her beloved Norfolk estate .
Its inadvertent demise was called to the attention of the RSPCA and the local constabulary.
The incident happened in May but only became the subject of an investigation this month. We were contacted by a man wishing to inform us that on May 29 this year he found a Little Owl caught in a Fenn Trap on the Sandringham Estate next to Flitcham Barns, says the National Anti-Snaring Campaign.
Now we know who’s really top dog in 10 Downing Street.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has chosen his beloved Jack Russell cross, Dilyn, to star on the front of his Christmas card which he has jointly sent out with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds.
It is a bit of a break from tradition since many of his predecessors, including Tony Blair and David Cameron, put themselves and their (human) loved ones in the spotlight.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has chosen his beloved Jack Russell cross, Dilyn, to star on the front of his Christmas card which he has jointly sent out with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds
Sandringham Estate responds to Fenn trap complaints by National Anti Snaring Campaign
| Updated: 09:56, 17 December 2020
The Sandringham Estate has defended its use of traps after complaints have been made this month.
Norfolk Police and the RSPCA visited the estate in May after an owl was caught in a Fenn-style trap on the estate near to Flitcham Barns. They decided no action was necessary.
But a social media post by the National Anti Snaring Campaign (NASC) this week claimed that its investigators visited the estate last Tuesday and found dozens of similar Fenn-style traps at ground level.
The Sandringham Estate says it adheres to all the appropriate standards and regulations required